Our Moment
by Mm.Mystery
Summary: Changed CH. 2 Ending. Denial. Jealousy. Anger. Risks. Sometimes you just need a moment to make your move. And sometimes that moment is taken away. Neric. Rated for language and Paranoia. Certain, subtle, paralells to Disney's The Little Mermaid
1. Sha La La La La La, Me Oh My

**A/N: This story was inspired by Kiss The Girl by cotedepablo911. I don't own NCIS LA, The Little Mermaid, or the song, **_**Kiss The Girl.**_** Hope you like it.**

_Chapter One: Sha La La La La Me oh My. _

Nell's POV:

I gritted my teeth. It was the third time this week Eric had blown me off. And I already new why. A concert flutist named Ursula Michaels. She was now more important to him than our friendship. Today was Thursday, the day we always see the newest superhero or sci-fi flick. Today it was supposed to be Captain America. Just two friends being geeks. Now, it was one dork, and a couple that was doomed from the beginning. Eric always fell to hard to fast. I mean, he bought her a really nice bracelet for their one month anniversary and she returned the favor by flirting relentlessly with Callen. As smart as Eric is he didn't seem to notice it. The gentleman Callen is he didn't flirt back a quickly walked away, making up some stupid excuse to see Hetty.

Whenever she came around Ops she always seemed a little too, curious. Like someone who was planning to put a bomb in it or something. I tried to warn Eric about her but he wouldn't listen. I had hoped we could spend some time together like we used to. Go to the movies, walk around downtown L.A., joke with each other. What we've been doing since he got passed my odd way for interrupting him, my quirks, and we became friends. It was a mutual respect based on… oh who am I kidding? There was nothing wrong with Ursula. I was just being jealous and paranoid. Yes, jealous. I called Eric, and got what I expected.

"Hi you've reached Eric" and then he interrupted the recording, "Hi, Nell. I'm really sorry Ursula called and…" I cut him off swiftly.

"Save it. She obviously is the most important thing in your life right now. Its perfectly fine she is your girlfriend, after all" I tried to hide the anger in my voice, to no avail.

"Really?" he swallowed it.

"Look, I can tell she doesn't care for you as much as you care for her, but its your life." I said, surprisingly calm.

"What do you mean?" he seemed surprised by my comment.

"Did you really not get that she was flirting with Callen? Or that she was examining this place like a surgeon?" I let my anger come out this time.

"Its none of your business!" He lost his cool, and I regretted my words.

"I just don't want to see you get hurt." I hung up the phone. Eric used to be the only one who really understood me. We spent so much time together, He knew how desperate I was to fit in. And he helped me get there. I was part of the family now. But, now, what I wanted the most was gone. Eric had deserted me, and there was nothing I could do. Me, oh, My.

_Eric's POV:_

I was glad we didn't have work on this particular Thursday, because seeing Nell was at the top of my things to do list. I wanted to apologize for acting like a moron because I had a new girlfriend. I wanted to tell her that as important as Ursula was, she was more important. Most importantly I wanted things to go back to normal. I was so close to my goal, and then Ursula called.

"Eric, I'm scared these guys came and they stole some stuff. Messed me up pretty good too." She started sobbing into the phone, and I completely forgot about Nell. I hoped in my car to drive across town. 30 minutes later and I barely moved. Damn L.A. drivers. That's when I remembered to call Nell. She was peeved. I would be too if our positions were switched. No, I didn't break the law to talk to her, I have blue tooth. when I finished getting chewed off about my croquette of a girlfriend the traffic moved. I arrived at Ursula's not long after that, and boy did I regret that. She wasn't hurt, and her house wasn't tossed. _Oh, Crap._ I thought.

"Hello, Eric darling, thanks for coming. Flotsam! Jetsam! Now!" _Nell was right. _ I thought has two men who were apparently Flotsam and Jetsam appeared and grabbed me. They overpowered me and knocked me out. The last thin I remember was thinking, _Me, Oh, My_.

Nell's POV.

When I walked into Ops Friday morning I knew something was wrong. I had called and emailed and texted Eric too many times to count and I had absolutely no response. He was either really pissed or, in trouble. Neither one of those scenarios made me feel better. I knew I'd handled the situation poorly and I was sluggish with guilt as I walked up the stairs. When I entered the computer room and he wasn't there wasn't sure if I should've been relieved or worried. I clicked the big machine on and listen the whirr. It was comforting, like an old friend. As soon as I saw the video pop up my heart stopped. The thumbnail was a familiar set of blue eyes staring back at me. Eric. I watched the video before calling in the others. And then I got my facts straight. It was an hour before I called them in.

I stood on the balcony, they were bantering arguing about something. Sam and Callen seemed to be on the offense. I whistled at them. When they looked up to see me, I lost my voice.

"Um, you guys might want to see this." I squeaked out.

"Where's…" Callen asked. I knew what he was asking, so I interrupted.

"Funny you should ask." They all sat down to look at the monitor.

"Is the king nerd late?" Sam asked.

"Just watch." I told them all.

"With out Eric? Is that legal?" Deeks asked jokingly ticking Kensi off.

"Oh, would you.." I cut Kensi off.

"EVERYONE BE QUIET AND WATCH THE VIDEO!" They seemed shocked at my outburst and stayed silent as I played the video. Eric was tied in a chair, passed out, and Ursula was talking.

"You have 448 hours to meet me at the pier. If you aren't there with what I want Eric is dead. I want everything you have on a murdered Navy- SEAL named James Michaels. He was my brother." The video was short, but its impact was evident.

"That long, just for information? No money? Weapons?" Sam asked what everyone was thinking.

"That's what I thought, too. So I did some digging, and…" I trailed off.

"AND, WHAT?" They all screamed at me.

"James Michaels never existed."


	2. There's Something About Her

**A/N: Sorry I was gone so long. No, I wasn't Frelted. Technical Difficulties! My knowledge of L.A. locations is non –existent so this is the version of L.A. that works for the story. Also: Reader points if you review and tell me why its warehouse 211. I only rewrote the last part. I added a foreshadowing Nell POV and changed the Eric POV. Sorry for the inconvenience. WARNING: RATED EW FOR EMOTIONAL WRECKAGE IN THE NEW ENDING. IT MAY MAKE SOME OF YOU CRY. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything! **

Eric POV

"Hey, pip- squeak, dinner." the tall, gruff, brunette man I'd learned was called Flotsam grumbled at me. He untied the ropes that had been chaffing my wrists raw and slid over a plate with something that looked like school- cafeteria meatloaf. Ew. I sighed and leaned against the wall. As hungry as I was, that stuff made me want to hurl. I looked at the bloody indentations on my wrists. I should've listened to Nell. I should've broken up with Ursula. I wondered why I didn't. I saw her flirt with Callen. I saw her examine Ops. I knew there was something off about her. I just knew. I just didn't want to admit it. I didn't want to admit that I was wrong. Wrong about Ursula, wrong about why she was dating me, wrong about Nell, wrong about just about everything. I slammed by head back and slouched. "If you don't start eating, imma tie you up again." Flotsam said, shockingly cavalier. I stuck my hands out and he retied them, if only a little bit tighter. I watched him walk out of the tiny cell. I closed my eyes and let out the breath I hadn't realized I was holding. I tried to fall asleep, but every noise made my heart jump. My thoughts were semi- delusional, and often drifted to Nell.

Did I have feelings for her? She was smart, beautiful, nice, quirky, funny, quiet and just plain weird, but she was—and I know how cheesy this is going to sound— unlike anyone I've ever met. There was something about her. Stupid question. Of course I did. Strong ones at that. Damn.

Nell POV

"Its going to be a long night." Deeks commented, everyone was frustrated. It was 8 pm, we'd worked all day, and we had nothing to show for it. We had watched the video several more times, trying to get a clue of where Eric was. I sighed once again going through Ursula's financials. Gas, food, physicals, Rehab bill, dinner out, my eyes flashed back to the rehab bill. How had I missed that? It said she was checked into The Southern California Psychiatric Ward in 1999 at the age of 17 for schizophrenia and PTSD after being brutally attacked and raped by a man named Michael St. James. Bacon.

"She's off her Meds!" I said loudly. "Erm, look. She's a schizophrenic!" The agents and cop looked at the bill.

"Michael St. James. James Michaels. This is heart wrenching. Will it help us?" Sam's words were tinged with sarcasm.

"The police report from her attack says it happened in the warehouse district. Number 211 to be exact. She was working nearby. At the pier. She has Eric there." My heart felt like it was going to explode. Eric was going to be okay. I was relieved. I couldn't take it if he wasn't. Was I in love with him? Maybe. Damn.

"Lets get to 211" Callen said definitively.

"Deeks and I will back- up." Kensi volunteered them.

"Why are we always back- up?" Deeks complained.

"Because you are the liaison and G is _my_ boss."

"He isn't my boss."

"He can get you fired, though"

"I hate it when you're right"

"Which is all the time." Kensi smiled. "I win. Now lets go." The four of them left and I began to coach them, silently praying.

_Nell future POV:_

When they didn't come back right away I knew something went wrong. I wished the earpieces hadn't lost connection. My stomach was churning. What someone was dead? What is they were all dead. My phone rang and I jumped on it.

"Callen?" I asked

"Nell… I.. uh… You'd better come here…"

"And here is?" I asked. When he answered my heart stopped. Oh. No. Two tears left my eyes. I missed my chance.

Eric POV

It was quiet when I first woke up. I wondered what time it was or how long I'd slept. That's when I heard it. A gun- shot. My blood froze. I heard commotion and then Callen shouted, "Kensi! Deeks! Go find Eric!" MY heart leaped out my chest. Salvation.

"KENSI! DEEKS! IN HERE!" I began shouting repeatedly. I thought I heard them coming, but it wasn't them. It was Flotsam.. or Jetsam. I really wasn't paying attention. Until he pulled out a gun. My veins flash froze to an icy slush. All the sounds of the raid faded into the background and all I heard was my heart beating. Everything was moving slowly. Like in the movies. I swallowed hard.

"You. Are. Dead." The man said as he loaded his ammo. I studied his face. He wasn't shaken at all. I started to notice the years of pain and lies etched in his face. He was hardened. As he lifted the gun I felt a strange feeling. Sympathy. For the man who was going to kill me. I wanted to ask him to talk to Nell. To tell her I was sorry, and that I loved her. The dead reality of it finally hit me. I was going to die. I would never do anything I wanted to do. I would never go to Egypt, India, Belize, or find the love of my life. I wouldn't experience things like marriage, parenthood, true happiness. I would never retire and sit in a rocker on a porch. I was sadder that all those things would be taken away from me, than that I would die. A tear rolled off my cheek and I prepared to die. He closed the gap between us and pressed the barrel to my chest. It was cold. At that second the line between life and death faded. I remember Callen and Sam running in just a second too late. The shot rang out and I felt the strings of life slip away. It was all over. It was all gone. Only pain remained.


	3. What words can't say

**A/N I know, I know depressing rewrite, huh? Now Because I'm mean I kept you waiting for this chapter. Heh. Heh. I was going to write this right after the rewrite. buuuuuuut I got really tired and went to bed. Disclaimer: Do I look like a middle aged Australian guy? Then I'm probably not Shane Brennan. But not for long… ! Its all part of my plan for ultimate world domination! I mean, uh, enjoy the story…. And keep the tissue in hand this one is also rated EW for severe emotional wreckage AND BH for extensive boohooing. Oh, and can anyone catch the Bones reference? **

Nell's P.O.V

The chair was lumpy, the air was cold and smelled of antiseptic. It was nauseating. I chose to focus on that. I tried to keep myself from thinking about the circumstances that brought me into a waiting room. We were all there. Hetty. Sam. Callen. Deeks. Kensi. No one wanted to see him gone. It was my fault. If I had coached them just a little bit faster. If only…

"Eric Beale's next of kin?" A young, brunette nurse asked. We all stood up. We hadn't called his parents, and anyway, they lived in Minnesota.

"Is he okay?" I asked.

"Well he is in surgery, The bullet just hit his lower ventricle, the close range of the shooting increases the impact of the bullet."

I stopped paying attention to her. She wasn't going to answer my question. She really couldn't. All she could say was that the doctors had put him in a medically induced coma for the surgery. She left quickly and Hetty made an attempt to rally her troops.

"I think Mr. Beale will be okay. I don't think he'd want to sit around here waiting for him to be out of surgery. Take the weekend. Rest. I'll expect you at work on Monday... We've got to find the bastard who did this" For the first time that night I realized we only had Ursula and Flotsam accounted for. I slumped in the lumpy hospital chair. Slowly all my colleagues left. Soon I was alone, lost, and breaking inside. I went home a few hours later, when they kicked me out of the hospital. I cried myself to sleep for the first time in fifteen years that night.

Next Morning...

I woke up to the sun blinding me. I sat up trying to remember why my pillow was damp. I blinked three times before it all came back to me and my heart broke again. I had to get back to the hospital. I had to know if he survived the night. I hadn't changed my clothes since the night before, so I skipped that as well as breakfast. Food just didn't seem to matter. I was about to leave when a memory from months ago popped into my brain.

_I WAS STANDING IN OPS, SNEAKING AN OREO AS ERIC WATCHED, HORRIFIED. WE_

_WEREN'T REALLY WORKING. JUST GOOFING OFF, WAITING FOR A CASE TO WANDER_

_IN. I PRESSED A COOKIE INTO HIS HAND AND HE IMMEDIATELY SHOVED IT IN_

_HIS MOUTH. AFTER EATING AS QUICKLY AS HE COULD HE SPOKE._

_"IF HETTY FINDS OUT ABOUT THIS I WANT YOU TO CALL MY PARENTS IN_

_MINNESOTA" HE SCRIBBLED THE NUMBER DOWN ON A PEICE OF SCRATCH PAPER AND_

_SHOVED IT IN MY HANDS._

I hadn't called his parents, like I said I would. I swallowed and ran back to my bedroom. Opening my closet hadn't been this hard in ages. I riffled around in the back before my fingers felt the box. The box where I kept every little scrap of paper I wanted to remember. Ticket stubs, phone numbers, post cards, fortune cookie fortunes, tootsie roll

pop wrappers with the Indian shooting the star, book marks, poems, etc. I set it on the bed and looked for the Oreo- scented sticky note he'd written on. When I finally found it a half an hour had gone by. I pulled out my phone and dialed. Listening to the phone ring, I tried to compose what I'd say. A woman with a thick Minnesota accent tinged with German answered the phone.

"Hello?" Mrs. Beale asked.

"Mrs. Beale? This is Nell Jones, from NCIS" I introduced myself slowly, so I didn't say the wrong thing.

"Has something happened? Is Eric all right?" She asked, panic in her voice. I took a deep breathe to keep my voice from shaking.

"Eric was kidnapped, a-and shot. He's in and out of surgeries. I- I don't know if he'll make it" So much for not stuttering. Mrs. Beale began to sob. I listened to her sob for twenty minutes. It was the worst thing I've ever experienced. I wanted to tell her Eric was okay. I wanted to tell her he was out of surgery for good and talking, but I couldn't. He wasn't. More tears found their way out of my eyes. I felt hollow and useless. There was nothing I could do. I told Mrs. Beale I was going to the hospital and cell phones were frowned upon. As I hung I wondered how long before she'd book a flight.

I didn't think it was safe to drive in such a dazed state, so I walked. It wasn't to far, and the fresh air cleared my head. I focused on the sound of my shoes on the cement, on the breeze blowing my hair gently, on anything trivial to take my mind off everything. When I arrived at the hospital I was surprisingly calm. I was immediately greeted by a doctor who said he had done surgery on Eric.

"I'm Eric's… friend, Nell Jones." I introduced.

"Have you contacted Mr. Beale's next of kin?" the doctor asked, and my stomach fell. That can't be good.

"Yes. His parents in Minnesota. Why?" I tried to steady my voice, but it was blatantly shaky.

"I'm afraid he had a bad reaction to the anesthetic. He isn't waking up from the coma we induced… He may not." With those words I felt whatever was left of my heart dissolve and burn, as though his words were acid.

I picked up my phone and dialed the Beales again. It was going to be a long, painful day.

The Beales flew in a week later. I spent most of the following days at Eric's side, praying that he would wake up. I shed more tears than in my entire life. When three weeks passed and he still didn't wake, the Beales decided to pull the plug. He was really going to die. The worst part was the day before they were going to do it. Callen and Sam appeared in the hospital.

"We're.. uh… planning a memorial service for Eric. We thought you'd like to be a part of it…" I didn't let Callen finish before I screamed at him angrily.

"HE'S NOT DEAD YET!" I ran out of the room hurriedly. I ran all the way to OSP and slid down next to the monitor, tears rolling off my cheeks. I remembered all the good times I had with Eric. Sneaking Oreos when Hetty was gone, talking about dreams, finishing each other's sentences, saving the team time and again, that ridiculous whistle and those bizarre cargo shorts. I laughed through my tears. He was really gone. I stayed there all night. I didn't sleep, but I couldn't leave.

The next morning I went to say good- bye. If I wasn't going to see him ever again, some things needed to be cleared up. As I entered the hospital room a nurse left, a sad air about her. A faint beam of sunlight filtered through the window, and I sat by his side. I grabbed his limp hand and held it tight.

"You're dying Eric. They're pulling the life support. So I have a confession to make. I love you. Its more that that though…" I sighed trying to put what I was feeling into words. A foggy memory of my past surfaced, and I spoke softly. "Before she was killed my mother told me something. She said, 'Nell, you will meet and love a lot of people in this world, but there will be one person you will love the most. Hold that person tight and never let go.' You're that person, Eric. I will never forget you." I stared at his closed eyes, feeling the endless supply of tears form in my eyes again. And then it happened.

Eric blinked.

**A/N: So what'd you think? Sad enough for you? I'm glad its finally here. BTW, since no one has told me why it was warehouse 211, I will share. The first episode Nell was in was Season 2 Episode 11! **


	4. Floating in Blue JellO

**A/N: Wow. This came together quickly. I know its a tad on the short side, but I really like where it ended and trying to squeeze something else in would've been hard. the next chapter won't be up this quickly because I lost my cousin today and I have a severe lack of motivation. And, alack(that's Shakespearian for alas, I like it better), my ultimate plan for world domination has been foiled, due to my inability to kidnap Shane Brennan. So I still don't own NCIS: Los Angeles, The Characters, The Little Mermaid, or Kiss the Girl. A girl can dream, can't she?**

**Eric's POV:**

At first all I could sense was darkness. It was as though I was suspended is Jell-o. Mmmm. Could this be death? A giant swimming pool filled with Jell-o? I didn't feel hurt. I just felt alone, empty. I tried to form a thought, speak a single word. It didn't work. Damn. I tried to move my hand. It didn't work. Damn. I'm not positive how long

I was like that, but it was definitely an extended period of time. I drifted in and out of semi- consciousness. And then I heard a voice. It was calming, sweet, and I couldn't believe it. Nell was saying all these things, abut me, about her, about us. She said they were unplugging me. I couldn't let that happen. I struggled. I tried to open my eyes, come out of the darkness. I finally succeeded, but it was hazy. I remember little. Just Nell screaming and my parents

gushing.

**General Perspective:**

Nell's heart flipped. When Eric revealed his baby blues. "Hey, there, Rock star" he said groggily.

"Doctor! Nurse! Eric's awake!" she screamed. Personnel flooded in, and the rest of the day burred away. It wasn't until hours later that she got the chance to talk to Eric alone. He was sitting up in his bed, studying his Jell-o pensively. Nell blamed it on the drugs, rolling her eyes at him.

"Good read?" she joked.

"Ha. Ha. Very funny... No. I'm just thinking. When I was unconscious it felt like I was floating in Jell-o. It was weird." Eric set the wiggly desert down and studied her face to read her emotions.

"Did you, did you here what I said? When I thought you were going to

die?" She asked, not sure what she wanted the answer to be.

"Do you want me to have heard it?" Eric asked

"Why would I tell you something I didn't want you to hear?" she asked.

"I heard. I'm sorry, about everything. I screwed up big time... and I'd

really like to say I reciprocate your feelings, but-" Nell cut him

off.

"You're damn right you screwed up. Do you have any idea what its like to know you could've stopped the potential murder of your close friend you happen to be in love with, and that you'll never see his sparkling blue eyes again, or share a cookie and a joke with him? And then he does wake up except he doesn't love you back." Eric was quiet, his words caught in his throat. "Well, do you?" Nell asked again.

"I, uh, No I don't. I never said I didn't love you back. I said your feelings weren't , I only meant that there is no way

you can love me as much as I love you. I should've just been straight. I just, I have no idea what possessed me to say that. Morphine? Maybe. The fact that I can't think straight around you, drugged or not? Highly plausible. The fact that you make me so nervous I sweat in places that don't even have sweat glands? The fact you are my everything? My

Rock star?"

Nell smiled and leaned over the bed to kiss him. She had barely reached his lips when a voice sailed through the room.

"Someone's feeling better." Deeks quipped.

"Oh, like you were any better after you got shot." Kensi retorted. "Nurse Debbie, I'm ready for my sponge bath." she mocked him and then muttered, "Gag me with a spoon." Deeks grinned.

"Jealous, much?"

"Not in your life time"

"Suuuure. You just keep telling yourself that" The two began to bicker and Callen pushed Sam to discipline them.

"Children, don't make me separate you. Squabbling in front of a gunshot victim is very rude." Sam said sarcastically informative .Callen was the first of the team to address Eric specifically.

"How are you feeling?" Callen asked, sympathetic to the situation.

"Okay, I guess. I'd be a lot better if I knew what happened to my attempted murderer." Eric replied. It was Hetty who replied.

"John Gallagher and Ricky Martinez, A.K.A Flotsam and Jetsam, guns for hire. We got Martinez, but Gallagher, the one who shot you, is still in the wind. I'm sorry for that, Mr. Beale. After he shot you he vanished from the premises. No one has heard a thing about him. Believe me, I tried." Worry was evident on Hetty's features. "NCIS regulations frown on fraternizing with other agents or employees. Miss Jones, Mr. Beale,

I hope this doesn't effect the job." The duo was slightly shocked by Hetty's comment, the old woman's face softened and she spoke again, "I trust you won't, and so I am glad to see the two of you find each other, but Mr. Beale?" Eric furrowed his brow. "Yes?" he asked tentively, watching Hetty stand up and make her way out of the room.

"Try no to get yourself shot the next time you need a date" on those words the four foot ninja left the room. As Eric drifted back to sleep, her words echoed in his head. Somehow he didn't think he'd need a date for a long time


End file.
